Gabrielle Union's Inspiring Beauty Advice

At 45, she's learned how to tune out the noise and trust herself. Here, the actress dishes on YouTube, drugstore finds, and everything else that keeps her looking this good.

REDBOOK: When you're not working, do you wear makeup every day?

GABRIELLE UNION: No, and I wish I was amazing at putting it on! I watch YouTube to learn how to pull myself together for a date night with my husband. Makeup artists I work with, like Mario Dedivanovic and Renny Vasquez, have great online tutorials, so I refer to those.

RB: What's your go-to evening look?GU: I don't have one, though you can never go wrong with smoky eyes. I love to contour, but you have to be skilled at blending, so I use the Beautyblender makeup sponge [$20, sephora.com]. A makeup artist taught me to use my blush as eyeshadow, too, which I do with my favorite MAC shade, Loudspeaker. And I wear L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Mascara when I want a dramatic effect—it never clumps.

RB: You have incredible skin—what's your secret?GU: I was a Neutrogena spokesperson for 10 years, and they taught me the importance of daily sunscreen. As I've gotten older, my skin has become immune to things that worked a couple of years ago, so lately it's been a lot of trial and error. I like the Luzern skincare line, and I apply the Julie Hewett Organic Camellia Oil at night to nourish my face.

RB: In your new book, We're Going to Need More Wine, you talk about the pressure you felt as a young girl to straighten your hair. Did that play a role in inspiring you to create a haircare line?

GU: Yes, because in my quest back then to relax my hair and conform to certain beauty ideals, my hair became damaged. So when I was developing Flawless by Gabrielle Union, it was about creating nurturing hair products. You can honestly achieve any hairstyle without harsh chemicals.

RB: Do you bring your own hair products with you when you're working?GU: As an actress with textured hair, it's often easier to show up to the set with my hair already done. Sometimes, the stylists aren't familiar with how to do your type of hair, and if they don't have the right products, it can be damaging. So once a week, I give myself a full hair spa treatment and blow-dry. Then I use my Flawless Edge Control Gel every day in between washings to keep the style polished.

RB: What's your signature fragrance?GU: Maison Francis Kurkdjian À La Rose. I never used to wear rose scents, but the ones today seem softer and less powdery. My grandmother wore rose perfume, and now that I'm older, suddenly I love it too!

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